Stunning Image of Earth From 1.6 Million Kms Away

 

Clicked from 1.6 million kms away in space, a NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite has returned its first stunning view of the entire sun-lit side of Earth.

DSCOVR is equipped with the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) that took the new photo on July 6,2015

The primary objective of DSCOVR is to maintain the nation's real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities, which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of space weather alerts and forecasts

NASA will use the camera's observations to measure ozone levels in Earth's atmosphere and plant growth on the ground.

It will also help build maps showing the distribution of dust and volcanic ash around the globe, among other things.